Tag: billy

Day 8 #juneathon

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 7 Comments

The best laid schemes o' mice an' men

Gang aft a-gley,

An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,

For promised joy!

This morning's run, at the woods, was planned to be to the ponds and back, about 3ish miles. This didn't quite go to plan….

Lost dog! Well I didn't actually lose the dog, he lost himself. This does happen every now and then, so initially no big panic. In the past he normally manages to find his way back to the entrance to the woods and hangs around waiting for me. Not this morning. So I thought maybe he has gone back to wait by the car at the other end of the woods. Not this morning. So I began running back the way we had come to look for him. I looked to the east of the woods….

Nothing. I looked to the west of the woods….

Nothing. So back to the entrance….still nothing. As I began to panic slightly I decided to make my back to the ponds for one last look around where I last saw him, with the idea that if I did find him I would drown the fecker in the ponds! And lo and behold who should appear from over the hill……?

You're right….the chuffing, fecking, idiot of a dog. 10 miles run!

Today's mileage = 10.27

Total Juneathon mileage = 42.19

Mojo level = after this morning's experiences….it is dropping drastically.

Now off to Wakefield for Long Division Festival

(Music festival!! I am NOT a maths geek!)

 

Day 7 #juneathon

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 2 Comments

One week down, smashed through the 30 mile mark, and all seems to be going well!

It was a glorious evening in South Lincolnshire…..

Took the dog with me on this evening's run and spent the whole time ensuring he didn't find some festering, disgusting water hole to roll around in. I was also accompanied by Frightened Rabbit on the iPod; the latest album 'Pedestrian Verse' is a cracker. Have a listen, you may like….

Tomorrow is a trip to Wakefield for Long Division Festival.

Having just read that I need to clarify. Long Division Festival is a celebration of music not some sort of geeky maths convention. Looking forward to seeing Allo Darlin' for the first time, and if you like a bit of twee indie, take a look….

Today's mileage = 3.93

Total Juneathon mileage = 31.92

Mojo level = still very high!

Now off to the pub to celebrate!!!!

 

Day 5 #juneathon

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 8 Comments

I was greeted by a woman at work today in the following way…

“Your blog was a bit crappy yesterday!”

Now I am the first to admit that yesterday's blog was actually a bit “crappy”, therefore may I present…

The Runner's Guide to Bourne Woods

Bourne Woods is one of my regular places to run (often with the dog), so I have pretty much become immune to the sights the woods have to offer. But in attempt to keep the fans readers reader of my blog happy today's post is packed to the rafts with pictures.

Bourne Woods is full of sculptures and works of art to keep the visitors entertained as they stroll around. From the welcoming 'Weird Willow Tree Clinging Thingy'….

The beautiful 'Carved Bird Bath Wotsit'…..

The lovingly carved 'Wooden Mushrooms'….

Through to the more abstract 'Pile of Concrete with Scaffold Pole Inserted'….

Don't be worried about getting lost as you run round, the Forestry Commission have erected rather useful signposts about, although maybe they should just be called 'posts' as the signs have been stolen….

As well as the fantastic variety of trees, shrubs and flowers, the woods offer an abundance of wildlife from deer through to the tiniest flies that are chuffing everywhere! If you've never tried runner with your mouth closed and holding your nose, then Bourne Woods is for you. The pools of stagnant water lying around are the perfect breeding ground….

Today I swallowed around about 1000s flies and at one stage a fly flew up my nose and began boring into my brain, causing an extreme reaction and a number of strange looks from visitors…

Bourne Woods also has its very own maze, although it may not be that difficult to find the middle (you can see it in the picture)…

And at this point….

….I lost control of the dog.

So you can see that if ever you are in the area and fancy a walk or even a run then Bourne Woods is the place to be.

Finally, to the lovely woman who called my blog “crappy” I need to point out that maybe this is not the best place for you to visit….

Today's mileage = 5.72

Total Juneathon mileage = 22.97

Mojo level = very high

 

Juneathon Day 3 plus Billy Bragg

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 3 Comments

Last night….

The fantastic Billy Bragg, The Bard of Barking, at The Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. Great gig, great venue…overall a great night. I did manage to take a few pictures before the grumpy old bag told me not to – apparently pictures are not allowed in the home of Shakespeare. I'm not entirely sure what they thought I was going to do with pictures….sell them for £millions?

NB. The empty seats you can see behind Billy were the only empty seats in the theatre.

Today….

Day 3 of Juneathon. This was intended to be a nice gentle couple of miles around the woods with the dog, but because of this…..

….it ended up as over 5 miles because a run to the ponds was required to let the boy wash himself off.

Today's mileage = 5.24

Total Juneathon mileage = 14.05

Mojo level = very high (still?)

 

….general wonderings….

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 4 Comments

Already a few days into the final week of the Easter holidays and you will not be surprised to hear that I haven't touched one iota of schoolwork. In fact I've done everything except schoolwork. It is amazing how much you can get done to avoid marking:

  • Sorted out garage – there is still absolutely no chance whatsoever of getting a car in there – but at least now there's a path through all the crap to get to the back.
  • Mowed the grass – a couple of dry days and some sunshine resulted in the first cut of the year.
  • Fixed fence – windy conditions resulted in a snapped post. So after digging up most of Lincolnshire I managed to finally remove a huge lump of concrete that had been used to hold up post. I am now slightly worried I have also dug up a big percentage of the foundations.
  • Made a visit to the tip household recycling centre – gone are the days when you reversed up to a massive hole and slung in all your crap – now you need a PhD – old Hoover? Appliances or small electrical? I glanced at 'small electrical' and could only see old car radios, so plumbed for 'appliances' – WRONG! Two seconds after placing it down…. “That doesn't go there mate!”
  • Went to running club training Tuesday AND Thursday – which is something that happens very rarely. Tuesday was 20 x 1 min fast/slow and Thursday was a very fast 2 mile time trial.
  • Watched 'Inception' – good film – although I am not about to try to explain it – I'm not entirely sure myself – was it all a dream or not?
  • Read 'Pigeon English' by Stephen Kelman – this book has been on my reading list for a while – it follows a young immigrant from Ghana as he grows up on an estate in South London – good book.
  • Just started reading 'The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry' by Rachel Joyce – so far so good.

You'll also notice that this post severely lacking in pictures. This is because of the whole 'One Second Everyday' shenanigans. Although I have found a picture of a giant dog wearing a sombrero….

 

Janathon Day 8

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 4 Comments

Just about 25% of Janathon complete – that doesn't sound quite as bad as only 8 days in. So today after ANOTHER very long and hectic day, full of workshops and marking, followed by marking and workshops, it was time for a run. To kill two birds with one stone I headed to the woods with the dog for a 4.67 mile run.

Only tonight it was in a pair of funky new trail running shoes, purchased on ebay for a bargain price of £24. And very nice they are too.

Although the highlight of the run was seeing the biggest dog (although I use the word loosely) in the world. It was an amazing sight. As I was preparing for the run, a man, and what I can only describe as a massive beast, walked past the car. I have never, ever, seen anything like it before. This creature was huge. I failed to take a picture as I didn't want to antagonise the savage with the flash. But suffice to say that in Bourne there lives a man who is partaking in some extreme genetic experiments.

Today's mileage = 4.67

Total Janathon mileage = 35.65 (55.7 km)